20-30 Rockets attack Kabul airport; no casualties

Mattis met with Afghan President Ghani at the Presidential Palace, alongside Stoltenberg and Gen. John Nicholson, commander of United States forces in Afghanistan.

“More US troops alongside additional allied contributions are making it clear we are not quitting this fight”, said Mattis.

Mattis condemned the attack as a “criminal act by terrorists”, adding that it was a “classic definition of what the Taliban are up to here now”.

The attack came hours after Mattis and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation chief Jens Stoltenberg arrived in the Afghan capital, the first member of Donald Trump’s cabinet to visit the war-torn country since his pledge to stay the course in America’s longest war.

There have been reports of upto 30 rockets hitting the airport this morning.

Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, claimed responsibility for the attack on his official Twitter account.

The attack started shortly after 11 a.m. “The special forces have surrounded the house where three insurgents are hiding”, Danish told the Tolo news.

Mattis and Stoltenberg will also have meetings at the U.S. Embassy and hold a news conference together with Ghani, Salvin said.

Sitharaman also said that Mattis has assured her that he will speak with Pakistan on the terrorism emanating from across its border.

In meetings with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other officials, Mattis was expected to focus on deepening defense cooperation between the two countries and discuss how India could contribute to USA efforts in Afghanistan.

He said, “Sooner the Taliban realises that they can not win with bombs, the sooner the killing will end.” he said.

Stoltenberg expressed his support to the war against the Taliban despite the human and financial costs it involved.

Terror organisations having presence in Taliban warned the Afghanistan that it will be turned into a graveyard for foreign forces.

In a sign of the impotence of Afghan security forces, the government is considering a plan to train and arm 20,000 civilians to defend territories where Islamic militants have been driven out.

“We know the cost of staying in Afghanistan”, he said.

Islamabad denies giving material support to the militants and instead accuses its arch-rival of trying to use Afghanistan as a base for anti-Pakistan activities.

Over the past week, as world leaders traveled to NY for the UN General Assembly, tensions between Pakistan and India, too, were brought to the fore with Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj terming Pakistan an “export factory for terror”.